Blog 3

Your race primarily determines the conditions in the community you live in. Often black communities lack city and federal funding. Consequently, they are either forced to pick up the government’s slack or be driven out of their neighborhood. The article “New Yorks Invisible Climate Migrants” by Sophie Kasakove mentions how many black people in Canarsie and other flood-prone communities in New York are being forced out due to housing affordability. Following Hurricane Sandy, Flood insurance rates have skyrocketed, making it harder for homeowners to keep up with these payments. Lack of funding has also played a role in delaying the restorations of the damages brought by Hurricane Sandy. Many homeowners have given up or moved out, leaving these homes for developers to restore. She mentions, “The flight of working-class homeowners from these neighborhoods has accelerated gentrification, as deep-pocketed investors and developers were best equipped to take on the financial risk after the storm.” The actions of many developers have also made it worse for those who choose to stay in Canarsie as it becomes more gentrified and rent continues to increase. Likewise, In the article “Racial Capitalocene” by Francoise Verges, she states, “It showed that race was the single most important factor in determining where toxic waste facilities were sited in the United States and that the siting of these facilities in communities of color … the Reagan administration’s practice of cutting the budgets of federal environmental agencies had aggravated racist decisions.” This quote reveals how toxic waste facilities are more common in black communities bringing attention to the disparities minorities face. The shared theme in both articles is, Black and Hispanic communities are mistreated due to a substantial lack of funding from the government. This funding from the federal government is essential as it prevents many developers and big companies from taking advantage of minorities when they’re looking for assistance.